serpentine

/ˈsɜː.pənˌtaɪn/

//ˈsɜː.pənˌtaɪn// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"serpentine" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“serpentine” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #26,959. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#26,959
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of snakes.

Key facts for serpentine
PropertyValue
Headwordserpentine
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈsɜː.pənˌtaɪn/
Letters10
Frequency rank#26,959
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “serpentine” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). serpentine lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around serpentine (IPA /ˈsɜː.pənˌtaɪn/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #26,959 among 54,294 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for serpentine, with forms such as "esrpentine", "seprentine", and "serepntine". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English serpentine, from Old French serpentin, from Latin serpentīnus, from serpēns (“serpent”), equivalent to serpent + -ine. The correct English form is serpentine, spelled S-E-R-P-E-N-T-I-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of snakes.
  2. 2
    Of, or having attributes associated with, the serpent referred to in the book of Genesis in the Bible, such as craftiness or deceitfulness.
  3. 3
    Having the form or shape of a snake.
  4. 4
    Curving in alternate directions; sinuous.
  5. 5
    Pertaining to the serpentine subgroup of minerals.

Etymology

From Middle English serpentine, from Old French serpentin, from Latin serpentīnus, from serpēns (“serpent”), equivalent to serpent + -ine.

This word in other languages

serpentino(Español)serpentin(Français)Schlangen-(Deutsch)viperino(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • esrpentine
  • seprentine
  • serepntine
  • serpenitne
  • serpenntine
  • serpentien
  • serpentinne
  • serpentnie
  • serpenttine
  • serpetnine
  • serpnetine
  • serppentine
  • serrpentine
  • srepentine
  • sserpentine

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of serpentine - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

esrpentine2seprentine2serepntine2serpenitne2serpenntine1serpentien2serpentinne1serpentnie2
Edit distance from "serpentine"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "serpentine"?
"serpentine" is spelled S-E-R-P-E-N-T-I-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɜː.pənˌtaɪn/.
What does "serpentine" mean?
As an adjective, "serpentine" means: Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of snakes.
What are common misspellings of "serpentine"?
Common misspellings include "esrpentine", "seprentine", "serepntine", "serpenitne", "serpenntine". The correct spelling is "serpentine".
How do you pronounce "serpentine"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "serpentine" is /ˈsɜː.pənˌtaɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "serpentine"?
From Middle English serpentine, from Old French serpentin, from Latin serpentīnus, from serpēns (“serpent”), equivalent to serpent + -ine. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “serpentine”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-E-R-P-E-N-T-I-N-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɜː.pənˌtaɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list